New Bat Coronavirus in China Raises Eyebrows, But Should We Panic?

The discovery of a new bat coronavirus in China, dubbed HKU5-CoV-2, is making headlines and stirring up some uneasy feelings. According to the South China Morning Post, this virus is similar to SARS-CoV-2, the one that caused all the chaos with COVID-19, because it targets the same human receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2). So, naturally, people are a little on edge. Researchers, led by Zheng-Li Shi at Guangzhou Laboratory in Guangdong, China, suggest that HKU5-CoV-2 could potentially jump from animals to humans and even spread between humans. Shi, known as the "batwoman," previously worked at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which, as we all remember, was under scrutiny as a possible origin point for COVID-19. I mean, talk about déjà vu! The study, published in the scientific journal Cell on Feb. 18, states, "This study reveals a distinct lineage of HKU5-CoVs in bats that efficiently use human ACE2 and underscores their potential zoonotic risk." In other words, this thing knows how to latch onto human cells. Reports indicate that HKU5-CoV-2 can infect human cells, as well as artificially grown lung and intestine tissues. Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News senior medical analyst, pointed out that bats are notorious for carrying various coronaviruses. Siegel told Fox News Digital that this particular strain has an ability to bind to the same receptor in the lungs, nose, and respiratory passages that allowed SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) to infect humans, raising the possibility of zoonotic spillover. However, before everyone starts bulk-buying toilet paper again, the doctor assures us that the risk of this happening remains "very low," because the binding is weaker and the virus is "much less powerful" than SARS-CoV-2. Thank goodness for small mercies, right? "Even as we continue to investigate potential human pathogens, and even as we prepare for possible pandemics, it is very important that we not give in to fear," Siegel said. "The COVID pandemic is the worst in a century, but it doesn’t mean another is about to happen from bird flu or this or anything else." Siegel suggests that an international consortium of scientists could be established to help provide global protection, noting, "That certainly did not happen with the COVID pandemic, and the cloak of secrecy remains. But studies like this, published in a prominent journal, are a step in the right direction."